TouchSmarter: Touch Screen Gadgets

The Independent brings word that based on data released by IDC, HP has grown three times faster than the global average, based on Q2 2007. Growth without profits is not a strong business plan, but HP had record operating profits for its PC business.

Hopefully, all this success gives HP the freedom to experiment, as they have with the HP TouchSmart PC, and to give such experiments the time needed to work issues out and establish themselves, or their successors, as mainstay computer equipment.

Thanks to MarketWatch for this tidbit: The issue we brought to your attention earlier, the iPhone screen becoming unresponsive, may have been known to Apple prior to launch. Apparently, Apple bought the multi touch technology from a bankrupt Finnish company, and that company discovered that after three to six months of use, the screens would fail. The technology that allows the iPhone its much praised multi touch abilities uses a chemical that detects the heat of a finger.

It is too early to say that this current problem is the exact same one the Finnish firm was aware of. It could be that Apple addressed that issue only to uncover a new one. Everyone said Apple was taking a giant risk with the iPhone, and that risk included the fundamentals of the technology itself. Multi touch is a fascinating new technology, but as with anything new, growing pains are to be expected. Hopefully, for the future of multi touch, and for everyone with an iPhone, the cause of the defects will be determined and fixed by Apple in short order.

On The Tabletop looks to be an interesting stop for fans of table computing. The posts are not too frequent, but the quality of the material is high.

We mentioned Cozi a few days ago. Just noticed a review of the software (or more specifically, web app) on PC Magazine.

“This is the collaboration application to have for organizing your family life”

We still hope this app gets a touch friendly makeover.

Virgin America, the newest airline venture Richard Branson, has touch screen displays for every passenger.

You will be able to do all sorts of things, from ordering food (pictured), to chatting, email, web browsing, and enjoying video and music.

Engadget has a very thorough run down of the system.

This is by far the most complete list of multi touch products and history that we have come across. Many thanks to Bill Buxton for compiling such a list.

This gives us hope for future versions of the HP TouchSmart PC. They call it the Interactive Canvas.

It is not showing us much in the way of new ideas or UI, but it is another sign that more and more companies are working on touch/multi touch interfaces and technologies.

Ryan Block was kind enough to write a very well done article on the iPhone. This review touches on many different aspects, but does focus a considerable amount on the touchscreen interface. He highlights the fact that the screens are not consistent in look nor usage. Given that the iPhone is the first consumer multi touch device, it is easy to forgive Apple for not getting it exactly right on the first try, no one argues that they got very close. It does highlight however the challenges in creating a touch interface.

The game for designers and developers gets changed dramatically when dealing with touch, especially multi touch. Developing something for use with a mouse/keyboard is easy, it has (mostly) all been done before. You want to select some letters, take the accurate mouse and highlight the selection. From all accounts, this very simple feature is missing on the iPhone, and it could be for a number of reasons, from oversight, to time, to the fact that a finger is not a good tool for selecting a few letters with.

Each iteration of touch technologies will improve on this problem, just as each iteration of hardware/software improved the mouse/keyboard. We feel there is no doubt that touch/multi touch will become a mainstay technology, but like any new and highly disruptive technology, there continual advancement, especially in the beginning stages.

Just noticed a post on Intomobile talking about issues people are starting to have with the display on the iPhones. Apparently, a strip on the top or bottom of the screen will stop accepting touch input. Luckily, it sounds as if Apple support is handling the defects in a positive manner, replacing units without much problem.

Computerworld has quite a flattering review of the TouchSmart. They describe some of the uses for the touchscreen, and mention that the speakers produce pleasing sound. The looks of the unit are to their liking, however, as is well known, they mention the system is not exceedingly speedy.